


Darkness and Resolve

by NightysWolf



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Blind Ignis Scientia, Canon Compliant, Cartanica, Friendship, Gen, Verse 1, chapter 10
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 20:34:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28676760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightysWolf/pseuds/NightysWolf
Summary: The train ride to Cartanica and the events in the mine are a test of fire for the four friends and yet, what is going on in Ignis mind in these moments of hardship?
Kudos: 10





	Darkness and Resolve

Ignis Scientia could feel the train moving underneath him, he could hear the rattling of it on the tracks and he could smell the diesel of the engines and the sweat of the passengers in the air. In a way he could even taste the terrible food of the train restaurant on his tongue, but what he couldn't do... was seeing. Four weeks had passed since the covenant but in these days, Ignis vision had shown no sight of improvement. Since the day on the altar, since the day he had to put on the ring of the Lucii, Ignis had not seen anything anymore because in fact: the kings of yore had granted their power for a price. 

After Noctis had awakened again, they had made arrangements with the First Secretary and had secured a passage to Calcano in Niflheim for the royal vessel and the Regalia. While Cid had returned from Calcano to Lucis with the boat, they had continued their journey via train and right now, they were on the way to Cartanica. Cor Leonis had messaged them, that the hunters had found traces of another royal tomb in the old mining town. Ignis had tried to do some research onto Cartanica but his Braille was still in it's starting stages to say the least. He could read easy texts with his fingertips fine but more complicate sections were still difficult. But there was no way around learning this - Ignis' hadn't wanted to crush his friends hope about regaining his eyesight, so he had decided to not tell them what he knew already. That his vision would never return and Ignis still didn't know how to express his gratitude towards Prompto because words were not enough anymore to thank him for all the support he had given Ignis in the last weeks. 

Prompto had literally never left his side, since Ignis had woken up... but he had done it in a soft way... a respectful way. He had just been there, offered help but had retreated when Ignis needed it... had let him fall to show him that he maybe still needed time and the first days had been more than hard on Ignis. Getting around only using his other senses, learning to handle the cane that the government of Accordo had provided him with and the slow learning of reading a book with his fingers. Weskham had been an enormous help as well, by simply taking Ignis away from the hotel, walking with him through the destroyed city... and taking him to his restaurant, because what better way was there to give Ignis back his self by giving him some kind of routine. Ignis could relearn how to use a knife even without the usage of his eyes. He would never sugarcoat it but the first days had been hell and painful. He had never cut himself this often before but over time and by shoving away his frustration he got better day by day. Still not good enough to cook a meal himself again, but it was a start. Ignis hadn't been a cook out of conviction and at the beginning of their journey it had been a chore, rather than a thing he enjoyed, but over time he had found a sort of fascination in developing new dishes, trying out ideas and shaping recipes to his own liking. All that had been ripped away from him but the routine gave him back a sense of purpose.

But now they were here - on absolutely foreign territory, in the land of the enemy and none of the four was really in shape to fight. Too much had happened in too less time and wounds that had been ripped open were still trying to heal and Ignis didn't refer to his eyes with this. Ignis had left the ring of the Lucii with his rightful owner as soon as Gladio had told him he had picked it up and Noctis had the ring since then, but he hadn't made the next step and put it on yet. He was still shying away from it and in a way Ignis couldn't blame him for it. While there was a difference between Ignis and Noctis, the royal advisor only knew too well, what the ring could do to a person... even though he had never told Noct what had happened on the altar. Noctis was still burdened with the loss of Lady Lunafreya and Ignis didn't plan to add his own pain on top of it. As long as he was able to push forward, the events at the altar would stay a secret. Gladio and Prompto had both tried to get the truth out of him, but Ignis hadn't told them. A part of Ignis didn't want to tell them, yet he didn't want to lie to them either. Maybe a part of Ignis just wanted to forget, even if that was impossible considering the consequences of all of it. 

What Ignis could sense though despite the lack of his vision was the growing tension between Gladio and Noctis. It was subtle at first but it grew over the weeks and Ignis was afraid, that he knew the reason for it. Now they were on this train to their next destination, not knowing what to await because while the train was still stopping in Cartanica, only few people got off and on there. Niflheim had sucked the town empty of it's resources which had been oil and coal they had needed for the mass production of their magiteknology but after they had their fill, they left the down behind - abandoned and devoid of all human life. In the end that was all the empire left behind wherever they went... death, destruction and ruins.

Ignis took another deep breath and tried to listen to everything around him. Prompto had brought him a radio before and Ignis had listened to the news for a while but then he had switched it off to concentrate on the sounds, to focus on the feeling of the train below him. Ignis let out a soft sigh, when a wave of pain shot through the scarred tissue of his face. The doctors had said that the injuries would need time to heal and he hated the fact that they seemed to be right with that. Prompto's voice though tore him away from his own wandering thoughts.

"So, we're gonna roll through Tenebrae," the young gunslinger remarked with a sigh and Ignis thought for a moment he could hear leather scratch on leather. Was Prompto wringing his hands, rubbing the leather of his gloves against each other?

The tactician shook his head only once to not put more strain on the scars that marred his face. Prompto had explained to him where they were lying and how they looked by carefully mapping them with words, before leading Ignis own hands over them. It had been a new experience for Ignis and had showed him more than clear that vision was not his way of seeing anymore. "Not before visiting the royal tomb in Cartanica," the advisor said with a sigh.

"You're sure you're up to that?" Prompto asked and the shaking in his voice was more than clear. Ignis could literally smell the worry and somehow he could not even blame him. Ignis knew he was a liability in his current state and not even a small one, but his place was at the side of his king, right? Where else should he go, if not with Noctis? Ignis knew that partly his actions were selfish and unreasonable and they slowed them down, but he was also afraid, because who had he left in his world, when his friends went on with their journey and left him behind?

For a moment Ignis let his head fall forward, inhaling the stale air in the train that was a mix of diesel, old furniture, sweat and dry heat from the desert area that was lying between Cartano and Cartanica. "The wounds have mended," he said in a soft voice before nearly burying his chin in his chest. "Eyesight's a matter of time."

But then Ignis heard the creaking of the leather of one of the sitting banks, followed by heavy footsteps on the metallic floor of the train car and even blind he knew these steps only too well. "The hell is wrong with you?" Gladio growled in a low voice and by the direction of his voice Gladio was not speaking to him or Prompto, who was sitting next to him... but Noctis, who had taken the seat on the opposite side of the traincar - away from them, away from Gladio but still in sight according to Prompto. Ignis could literally taste the tension rolling off the shield in sickening and suffocating waves. 

"What?" Noctis asked in return and Ignis could hear the ice in the voice of his oldest friend. This definitely didn't bode well.

"We're not stopping in Tenebrae," Gladio replied with a harsh tone in his voice and Ignis realized that by now, the shield of the king had reached the end of his patience. His mind racing, Ignis tried to search for a possibility to cut through the tension, to return the conversation to a normal level that wouldn't draw all the attention onto them, but without seeing... Ignis was blind, his hands were tied and he hated the feeling of having to wait, when Gladio continued to speak. "You need to grow up and get over it!"

Ignis could hear the shifting of clothes and since Gladio was already standing, it seemed as if Noctis had stood up from his seat now to face his friend. "I am over it. I'm here, aren't I?" Noctis asked with a sharp sound in his tone but Ignis could still hear his voice crack and shake in anger, distress and grief. 

Another heavy step foward - Gladio again. "Maybe when you're not to busy moping, you can look around and give a shit about someone worse off than you," Amicitia snarled and Ignis could hear fabric running over each other... was that Noct's jacket? Yet Gladio's words hit a nerve in Ignis and he turned his head a bit and took a soft breath. This was definitely not running the way Ignis would like it. 

"Let go of me," Noctis ordered and now Ignis had his proof that Gladio had most likely grabbed one part of Noct's clothing and knowing Gladio... he had him on the collar.

"How does that ring fit ya?" Gladio snapped and the volume of his voice was rising with each word he spoke. "You'd rather carry it around than wear it?" So this was the crack in the glass, Ignis had been searching for the whole time. The tension he had felt all the time and now it was to late to react and Ignis cursed himself for his inability to see - he should have seen it. "She gave her life so you could do your duty, not so you could sit around feeling sorry for yourself." 

"You don't think I know that?" Noct bit back but Ignis could hear the desperation and a bit of the hystery in his voice. Ignis knew that Noctis was on the verge of breaking and he could feel Gladio on the edge as well, but this was not the moment and the time to fight this specific fight. Not on a train and not with so many people around because if Ignis was sure about one thing then it was the fact, that they were drawing attention onto each other. He could feel the eyes of the other passengers on them and he could taste the growing fear in the air like bitter salt.

"You don't," Gladio roared. "Ignis took one for you too and for what?"

No, this had to end now. Ignis would not let someone else fight his battles for him - not this battle. Yes, he wasn't in his best shape right now and he needed help in some matters, but he was still lord over his own life, his own heart and soul and over his own mind. This was his life and no one would decide or speak for him. "Enough, Gladio!" Ignis snapped and for a moment the fight froze... but only for a short moment. 

"You think you're a king," Gladio snarled when Ignis heard him drag Noctis closer. "But you're a coward!"

"Shut up!" The despair in Noctis voice was unmistakable now and Ignis wished nothing more than to be able to do more than just sitting around. 

In the same moment, Ignis felt a movement beside him and realized that Prompto had gotten off his seat to interfere directly now, but in the same moment Ignis wasn't sure how much Prompto would be able to do in this situation. "Don't do this..." The young gunslinger began, but he couldn't finish the sentence. Ignis heard Prompto words being muffled and then stumbling steps back... had Gladio just shoved Prompto off him? 

"I get it, alright? I get it!" Noct screamed and the pain in his voice was unmistakable now. 

"Then get a grip!" Gladio replied with sharp bite in his voice. "Pull your head outta your ass already!" 

For a moment all Ignis could hear was heavy breathing from all parties involved, but then heard a pressed out moan from Noct and the sound of boots on the floor, rapidly going away from them. "Noct!" Prompto called, but Gladio did shut him down effectively. 

"Leave him," the shield of the king snarled and for a moment Ignis thought he heard Prompto's breath catch in his throat. A sickening silence followed, but then Ignis heard Prompto fall into the seat opposite of him and by the deep breaths the gunslinger tried to take, Ignis realized that all of this had shaken Prompto to the core as well. Somehow Ignis couldn't loose the feeling that this was a test of the gods and they had just failed that test with all fanfares.

Flipping the dagger around his wrist, Ignis tried to use all of his senses that were still left to him, but in his whirlwind of movements around him, he wasn’t even sure anymore, where he was himself. He felt the air on his skin, when Gladio rushed past him, he smelled the magic in the air when Noctis warpstriked another time, he could taste the humidity on his tongue and hear his friends shouting orders and battling. What he couldn’t, was seeing it all. Clutching the cane tightly in his other hand, Ignis tried to orientate himself, tried to listen to the sounds and where the battle was, but it was too much, too overwhelming and too fast. The only thing he could do was reacting and when Gladio barked his name and a direction, he took that advice and jumped there, hoping that would keep his footing upon the slippery grounds and Ignis did regret not for the first time, that he hadn’t thrown some hiking boots into his luggage. But none of them had expected that their original journey would take such a turn. That their travel to a wedding became a crusade against a darkness that threatened to swallow everything. 

With the directions of Cor and some information they had received from other travelers upon the train platform of Cartanica, the royal retinue had made their way into the mines of Fodina Caestino, where the Marshal had told them was one of the remaining tombs they had to visit. Ignis had asked to be taken along and Noctis had agreed, but to some degree the advisor was wondering, if that had been his best decision. He was a burden and a liability in battle and Gladio had to protect him instead of Noctis. Prompto was bound to his side, always helping him up, when he stumbled over the uneven ground. 

But Ignis had a duty to the King as well and even though Gladio had told him on more than one occasion that it was too dangerous for him to come along, Ignis hadn’t himself be left behind. Some sixth sense told him, that this was a test for all of them and if they failed this test now, the whole star would fall with them.

Ignis couldn’t say that he felt ready to face the test in the state he was in though. They all were soaked to the bone from rain and the puddles and swamps they had been walking through and their camp for the night had been a very sober and cold one. The aggressive aura that seemed to surround Gladio like a thunderstorm hadn’t lessened since the argument on the train; quite the opposite. It was as if it had only grown and it was only a matter of time until the thunderstorm would rage again and this time, it would destroy what was on it’s course. Ignis had to find a way to avoid that, because in their situation with so many feelings riding high a wrong word could destroy everything and break friendships that lasted over a decade already. Prompto had tried to ease things, but Prompto was no match against Gladio in any way and Ignis... well, Ignis knew that he was not able to stop anything right now. 

A cold and cruel part of Ignis though saw the events that had happened in a different light. Ignis had been trained to be the Sword of the King since his childhood, he had been trained to be always there for him, to advise him, to care for him and also to protect him, even if that was also Gladio's job. It had been his task, his job, his calling and his life since he lived. But Ignis had always wondered what would happen if he wasn't there anymore, if he couldn't do anymore what was requested of him and once Noctis had to stand on his own feet. Now they had a first taste of this problem and the really cruel part of Ignis that was normally buried deep down, was rubbing his hands in glee at the fact that now for the first time they maybe realized what they had in Ignis and what they had always taken for granted without a second thought. 

That glee was shortlived though, when Ignis dragged himself out of the dirt onto his knees again, slamming his fist on the ground in anger and frustration. Yes, for the first time in his whole life the roles were reversed and Ignis hated it. He hated it having to depend on others, he hated it how they were fussing over him because they thought they had to and he hated the fact that the was so damn helpless. Ignis had to admit, that he had always feared being invisible, that he was just the spoilsport that ruined all the fun - he had wanted to be seen... but not like this.

Forcing himself back onto his feet, he bit back the harsh words in his throat, when Prompto helped him up again. After Prompto's tasteless joke to try to lighten the mood, Ignis was even more determined to learn how to live with this constant darkness but right now he had to accept and to learn. 

He hated it. 

They had retrieved the keys for the generator the evening before already, before they had decided that it was too difficult to go on in the darkness and especially the place they were in. Ignis had asked Prompto in the evening to explain the mines to him in as much detail as possible and Prompto had told him about the huge tree that had grown in a short time and that had ruined the mines, about the other flora that had taken over a lot of things, about the slippery, dirty brown paths they had to dread, about the animals that had made those mines their home now. The gunslinger had described the huge machine that was blocking their way and helped Ignis, drawing a mental outline of the mines.

"You okay, Ignis?" Prompto asked and Ignis could hear a waver in his voice. He was afraid. 

"I'm fine," Ignis sighed, straightening his pose and ignoring the fact that he was soaked to the bone. "Don't mind me." Ignis heard Prompto take a deep breath, since his last sentence did have a sharp tone to it, but Ignis found that he didn’t care. Moving onward as best he could, he followed his friends through the puddles and ponds, dragged his shoes through the dirt, found his way forward with his cane while trying to hear, taste and feel every change around him. 

It was close to noon, when they finally reached the control unit of the heavy machinery again and were able to move it far enough of of the way, that they could continue their way down into the deeper parts of the mine, where the tomb was supposed to be and not for the first time Ignis wondered, if just this tomb or tombs in general were nothing to the Niflheim Empire that they removed all the architectural signs from around it and dug up a mine and a pit. But the Empire had never cared about the grounds they left behind - barren, lifeless and stripped of all their values. Just dead industrial areas in the nowhere. Like Cartanica. 

Ignis forced his thoughts back to the present, when he carefully followed his friends down into the heart of the mine. It was difficult not to overhear the argument that had broken out between Gladio and Noctis again and when Ignis felt Prompto’s fingers curl into the fabric of his jacket, he wasn’t sure if Prompto did it to ground Ignis or to ground himself. Their bickering and fighting would lead them nowhere and if they didn’t stop soon, this endeavor was sure to lead into a catastrophe. 

When the ground started to sound different underneath his shoes and the echo of his steps began to waver through the air a bit longer, Ignis listened up. “The tomb’s further in?” he asked no one in particular. 

“You wanna wait here?” Noctis asked from a position that seemed to be three or four steps to his left side. 

Gladio snorted. “Alone, here,” he remarked and Ignis could hear the anger in his voice. Oh, the Sword could understand the Shield in this situation only too well, but butting their heads in would not be the solution. They would need to find a compromise. 

“Not what I said,” Noctis growled in a low voice, before Ignis heard the rustling of clothes that moved away from him. It seemed that this short conversation was over and only had widened the rift that had cracked their brotherhood apart. How much more cracks could it bear before it would break apart like glass that shattered upon the floor?

When they made their way forward, Ignis had the feeling that they entered a sort of cave, since the smell that had already been quite disturbing before, was really unbearable and seemed to be concentrated on this place. The air was humid and warm and their breathes seemed to be thrown back from high ceilings and yet it seemed as if part of the sound was swallowed by organic material. As if the whole cave was alive and breathing. 

“Is that a gate over there?” Prompto suddenly asked, leaving Ignis’ side and splashing through the knee deep, murky and smelling water. But his steps stopped suddenly. “What is this?” The waver in the gunman’s voice sounded strange. 

“I hate eggs,” Gladio replied when he closed the distance to Prompto to take a look at the problem that seemed to be blocking their way quite effectively. But how could eggs block a way like this - what size were they... and if the eggs were here...

Ignis didn’t need to answer his own thought, when he heard a gurgling of the water behind him and his instinct just told him to get a move on and maybe get closer to his friends. 

Prompto’s panicked cry told Ignis clearly that they obviously had gotten themselves in quite some trouble. “That looks like a mouth. Is that its face!?” 

“What? What is it?” Ignis asked, trying to make his question audible over the groaning and howling of whatever came at them.

“Something real bad!” Noctis yelled and the splashing of water told Ignis, that whatever attack the young prince had tried, had to be interrupted to get out of the way of whatever they had angered.

“It’s green, it’s huge, looks like a ball and has tentacles, lots of them!” Gladio barked, summoning his great sword into one hand and his shield into another. 

Accepting for a moment, that he was most likely not that much of use, Ignis retreated a few steps, limiting himself to listen to the struggle of his friends and hurrying over to those who needed help, healing them with potions and other curatives. Ignis had considered to regroup them to boost them with the magic of the crystal, but without seeing the battlefield it was a tactical risk to unite them on one spot, when that spot was eventually in the middle of the attack range of their opponent and same logic also applied to his ability to rally them for an attack. And his own offensive “Sagefire”-ability he didn’t even want to think about, because how should he charge and attack when he didn’t know where his aim was. On top of the fact that the covenant had broken something... something deep inside Ignis, that he hadn't thought that could be broken. 

Listening to the sounds of battle, trying to help where he could, Ignis tried to reach into the Armiger and into his pool of magic to feel around him, but since Leviathan it seemed as if someone had thrown a door shut and cut that magic away, that had always been his own and not from the Crystal. Searching his mind in turn, Ignis remembered the countless animals that inhabited the Niflheim continent but despite the rage of the Glacian there were still many left. Tried to remember what nature was throwing at them in this moment. 

“It’s useless,” Gladio panted, when Ignis broke a HiPotion over him, before hauling the Shield to his legs again.

"What do we do!?" Prompto's voice was close to Ignis side as well, so it seemed they all had retreated back to were Ignis stood, but the tactician still didn't dare to use his magic to regroup them to boost their abilities. The magic at his fingers was just too unstable and too finicky for his taste. It could do them more harm than good and in their current situation that could be deadly and not for the first time, Ignis was cursing the fact, that neither Gladio, nor Prompto or Noctis had taken the time to inform themselves a bit about Niflheim and the flora and fauna there. How was Ignis supposed to identify something that he could not see?

When Ignis heard Noctis huff next to him, he realized, that all of his friends had found their way back to his side. "This might be a good time to panic," the prince gasped, changing his weapons in a split second.

Shaking his head, Ignis balled the hand that didn't clutch the grip of the cane in a fist. "No. There must be a way," he growled, staring at an enemy he couldn't see, but suddenly everything made sense and with the roar of the beast in his ears, he knew what they were facing and this realization left him with dread. "The malboro has gone berserk. Keep your distance to avoid its Bad Breath," he warned and just hoped that the warning did not come too late. What could he do, what was the Malboro's weakness? And then suddenly it dawned on Ignis. It was like a flash in his mind breaking through barriers that he didn't know that existed. 

"Noct, I have an idea," Ignis called, reaching into the inside of his jacket. Pulling a magic flask out of his jacket was actually a weird conception, considering Ignis could summon the items in his hand right away, but he had learned in Insomnia to cover the magic if possible to not make himself a target for specific groups and those teachings got stuck to him, went into his blood. "If I may…"

Rolling the spell over his gloved fingers, Ignis could feel the heat emanating from it, could feel the burn of the fire that wanted to break free of the shell it was pressed into and release it's destructive power onto everything that was around, not differing what it was. Listening to the sounds around him, taking in the movement of the air, Ignis tried to create a mental image of his surroundings and then he was sure that he had located his enemy and if the Astrals were on their side now, maybe they could end this now. Throwing the spell towards the Malboro that was trying to hit Ignis with it's tentacles, the tactician made a jump backward to get out of the nearest fighting range, especially since he had thrown a high level spell himself.

When a roar echoed through the cave and Ignis could smell the distinct taste of burned flesh in the air, followed by the squelching sound of something being stepped on, he knew that he had succeeded. He had done it. Allowing himself a moment of grim satisfaction, Ignis straightened himself out and flipped the cane over in his hand. "Ah, as I suspected."

"It really worked! It really worked!" Prompto's voice was colored in an obvious disbelief that left Ignis rather smug. That should have know better than to count him out so fast already. He might have lost his vision, but his mind was sharp and cunning as ever. 

Slapping him onto the shoulder Gladio released a sigh of relief. "Nice one, Iggy." 

"Is it dead?" Ignis asked, more to just confirm what he actually assumed already. Letting the magic swirls unseen around his fingers, Ignis could not express and definitely would not express how glad he was to feel the magic in it's full capacity again, not cut down by what he assumed had been his own fear. "Anyways, now we’ve a fighting chance," the tactician remarked, even though he was sure that with the death of the Malboro they were safe for now - as long as they hurried up to get out of this forsaken pit.

"It is dead," Prompto confirmed and Ignis could hear him jump a bit in the dirty, muddy water. "And it’s all thanks to Iggy!"

"Iggy, you saved us," Gladio added now as well and Ignis could hear the in Gladio's voice that he was glad the whole encounter was over as well. Ignis knew that Gladio tried to make up in battle for his missing combat abilities, but there was only so much he could do in battle when he tried to protect Ignis and Noctis at the same time. Although Ignis knew that he had protected him more lately, simply due to his disability to do it himself. 

Prompto slapped a hand onto Ignis' back with a resonating smack due to their soaked clothing. "Seriously. We’d be plant food if it wasn’t for you." 

Shoving his darkened shades up his nose, Ignis directed his attention roughly toward what he assumed was the entrance to the tomb, just hidden behind a load of unhatched Malboro-eggs. "Happy to help," he replied with a slight snark in his tone, before he allowed himself to calm down. That moment of silence was also the moment he realized that Noctis had not said a single word yet since the battle and Ignis was not sure what to make of it. Ignis had always been a visual creature - he had been able to read humans on their gestures and their expressions but without his eyes he had to rely on his other senses and those were not as clear yet. What was going on in the prince's head? Had Ignis maybe crossed too many boundaries that Noctis was angry enough now to insist that he would stay behind? Was he still shocked about what had happened - was he shocked at all?

Curse this blindness!

Gladio seemed to notice the long silence as well and Ignis could hear him move through the water. "What, no royal commendation from His Majesty?" the Shield of the King asked and Ignis could hear the anger and the ice in his voice. It seemed that now that the commotion had died down, Gladio's anger was flaring up again like a fire that had just been doused by a rain shower and not really extinguished. It had continued to burn underneath the surface.

"None for you, at least," Noctis snarled and Ignis had the feeling that the temperatures in the sticky and humid cave had just dropped to a level that would be comfortable for the Glacian. No, this problem between Gladio and Noctis, this silent war would not solve itself just like this anymore. To deep were the rifts between them already and their own stupid pride did the rest to it. Did they not realize that their whole group was just as strong as their weakest link and Ignis noticed now more than ever, that despite his disability and the fact that he could not fulfill his duties like he did once, he was not the weak element in their band of brothers.

The weak parts were Gladio and Noctis and their broken relationship to each other. This would not be easy, but Ignis knew that he had to make a stand, had to turn things around now, even if it was difficult. In most moments of their journey, he had been the one to keep the group together and to balance the tempers of his friends. Maybe it was time that he stepped up to this, and took his place in this friendship again. Prompto had tried it and sometimes he had succeeded but Prompto could only really influence Noctis on the long run, Gladio was a absolutely different matter. 

Using their steps as orientation and guidance, Ignis followed his three friends to the tomb, always listening to his surroundings if they were still alone and no other animal or general enemy had decided to drop them a visit. 

"Whisking them just makes a mess—better fry ’em," Ignis heard Gladio suggest, and in the next moment he felt a prickling in the air of a spell being summoned and ready in waiting. If there was one thing, that seemed to ripple though the magic of the crystal it was the pulsing energy of the elements. That was something that had irritated him as a student in training but no longer. Now it was a comforting feeling in the midst of his impenetrable darkness. 

Until the smell of something burned hit his sensitive nose. "I think we found it!" Prompto cheered from the side and Ignis could only assume that burning down the Malboro-eggs had indeed revealed the door to one of the royal tombs.

"Just wish they found a better place to build it," Noctis groaned, while he unlocked the door.

Remaining close to the entrance, Ignis didn't need an explanation of what was happening inside. He had seen it ten times before already and each time had burned itself into his memories like the very first time. Noctis reaching out for the weapon that was placed in the tomb atop the sarcophagus of it's original owner, disappearing in petals of light after recognizing the new king and adding itself to his Armiger, by tearing out a part of him. It couldn't be different, because they had noticed, that when Noctis dared to used the weapons of the king, they seemed to drain his health and his strength. 

The crystalline clinking of the weapons circling Noctis seemed to be unnaturally loud in this pit and Ignis could feel a shiver running through his body, when a ripple of magic raced through the Armiger. Every time when Noctis had added a new Royal Arm to his arsenal, Ignis had felt it, but it had never been so strong before. Were is other senses really trying to make up for the loss of his eyes?

"Alright, let’s haul ass," Gladio growled in a low voice and Ignis kept the sigh he wanted to release to himself. This was not the time.

"Yeah, let’s." Noctis reply was short and clipped and Ignis knew he was angry.

If there was a moment to make a stand it was now and Ignis steeled himself. These people were his friends, but he also had a duty to his late king, his current king and the people of Lucis. Following them with slow steps through the murky water, Ignis stopped and lifted his head in the general direction he assumed where his companions were. "A moment?" he asked, keeping his voice steady.

Gladio was the first to stop his steps and then turning around to walk back to him. "Is everything okay?"

"It bloody well isn’t," Ignis said and his sharp voice made the others halt there steps as well. "I won’t suffer this pointless bickering in silence any longer." Taking a deep breath, Ignis sorted his thoughts one last time, considered his words but then there was no way back anymore. "Let’s be frank. My vision hasn’t improved, and probably won’t. Yet in spite of this… I would remain with you all. Til the very end."

Now it was out - Ignis' hope, his dreams but also his biggest fear. The fear of being left behind, of being useless, of being invisible.

"Sorry, but I object," Gladio said and his voice was hard as steel, even colder than Ignis' own. "War is a matter of life and death."

Ignis knew that Gladio had a point, but he couldn't deny that the words did sting. 

"But, we’ll be there," Prompto disagreed. 

"It’s not about us looking out for him!" Gladio's sharp tone and had now grown in volume and Ignis balled his hands into a fist, while the fingers of his other hand clawed around the cane that helped him to orientate himself.

"Uh-huh," Prompto replied in a low and serious voice, that was more than unusual for him. "Then he should be free to choose."

"There’s more to it than just what he wants!" Gladio's voice had gotten even harder.

Ignis took a deep breath, since this was enough. He was still standing here and even though he was disabled he was still the one to decide over his own life. He had considered his options well enough and he would not let Gladio patronize him. They were friends, but this was not Gladio's right. "I know full well!" Ignis barked and an uneasy silence was falling between the four friends, that even their breathing sounded loud to his ears. "I won’t ask you to slow down. If I can’t keep up, I will bow out."

Another few moments passed, before Gladio turned to Noctis. "What says “His Majesty”?" he snarled.

Ignis sighed inwardly. He knew that Gladio had a point, that Noctis had to get over what had happened. Ignis himself was sometimes torn between wanting to comfort Noctis and beat some sense into him. They all had lost people in Insomnia they had loved and Ignis could only imagine Noct's pain upon loosing Lady Lunafreya, but getting Noctis out of his shell did not work with screaming at him or shaking him. Even if Ignis didn't feel like being kind, considering that he was in constant pain since the covenant he knew that only understanding and kindness brought him forward. And maybe a bit of an edge. "Noct, you are king," the royal advisor said with a soft but unyielding voice. "One cannot lead by standing still. A king pushes onward always, accepting the consequences and never looking back."

Straightening his posture, Ignis made a step in the direction he knew where Gladio was standing. They were friends, yes - but Gladio should maybe never forget, who Ignis was and what he was once supposed to become. "Gladio, Noct will take his rightful place, but only once he’s ready," the advisor said sternly.

Ignis could feel the disagreement rolling off Gladio in thick waves, but then he made a step to the side. "Have it your way. But we’re still taking a big risk," he warned. "We better all be ready." Hearing Gladio walking away through the murky water, Ignis released the breath he had been holding, while it seemed that Prompto was trying to catch up with the Shield. Ignis though was wondering for a moment if he did the right thing, but when he felt a familiar hand on his back slowly nudging him towards the entrance, he knew that they finally were on the way to healing.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally I had both story parts as flashbacks in another story of mine, but when I changed the pacing there, I removed them and decided to release them as standalone story.
> 
> The render to this can be found here: https://twitter.com/NightysWolf/status/1348375290444185603?s=20


End file.
